A PROSTITUTION racket run from a room in Manchester's prestigious Midland Hotel was exposed thanks to a tip-off from the organisers of an exhibition of erotica.

Officers were tipped off by people running the annual Erotica show and trade fair at the G-Mex Centre because they were concerned about business cards being handed out offering sexual services for sale.

An investigation into the telephone number on the cards led police to a room at the nearby hotel and when they raided the room they arrested laboratory technician Keith Scott and his 23-year-old girlfriend.

She had been performing sexual acts for é50 a time which were being filmed by Scott and while police were in the room at least eight potential customers turned up at the door.

The hotel room was then searched and a quantity of cocaine which Scott had stolen from work was found in his girlfriend's toiletries bag.

Pornographic

When Scott's computer was also examined police found a number of moving and still pornographic images of young children.

Scott, 27, from Essex, is starting a 12-month jail term after admitting stealing the cocaine and passing it on to his girlfriend.

He also admitted making and possessing 47 indecent images.

Lucy Leeming, prosecuting, said police were alerted about the prostitution racket because of the business cards being handed out to members of the public at the Erotica convention .

Officers then went to the Midland Hotel believing it was a scam to draw customers to the room and then take their money without sex being offered.

But it was discovered that Scott's girlfriend was performing sex acts for é50, although Scott denied money changed hands and claimed they were part of the "swinging scene".

The almost pure cocaine was then found and Scott admitted he took it from the Essex pharmaceutical company where he worked as a technician.